adventure

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
adventure/ədˈventʃə(r)/

▶noun

• 1 an unusual, exciting, and daring experience.

  ■ excitement arising from such experiences: in search of adventure.

• 2 archaic a commercial speculation.

▶verb dated engage in an adventure.

– derivatives
adventurer noun,
adventuresome adjective,
adventuress noun.

– origin ME: from OFr. aventure (n.), aventurer (v.), based on L. adventurus ‘about to happen’, from advenire ‘arrive’.